Aeroplane-roundabout.



J. D. WALSH.

AEROPLANE ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1911.

1,023,897. Patented Apr. 23,1912.

3 SHEBTSSHEET l.

WITNESSES: INVENTO R.

4 W Jimzs DM/a/sh- ATTORNEY.

A ig) I 2 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cO-AVASIIINGTON. D. c.

J. D. WALSH.

AEROPLANE ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES. fi m/ya W COLUMBIA PLANOLIRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

J. D. WALSH.

AEROPLANE ROUNDABOUT,

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1911.

1,023,897. v vi Patented Apr.23, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: 'nv VENTOR.

5/ 25D alts/2 @iafia N ATTORNEY.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAII! co.. WASHINGTON, D c

UNITED STATES PATENT orinon.

JAMESD. WALSH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AEROPLANE-ROUNDABOUT.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES D. WVALsI-I, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Aeroplane-Roundabouts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descript on, reference being had to the accompanymg drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in aeroplane roundabouts; and it consists in the novel features of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the roundabout; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of one-half of the apparatus on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical middle section through the vertical hollow staff taken in the region of the revolving roundabout frame; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line et4t of Fig. 3, with the arms of the revolving frame omitted; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the upper end of the hollow central supporting staff. I

The object of my invention is to construct a roundabout which shall be propelled by a series of aeroplanes disposed about the periphery of the rotating frame constituting the roundabout proper, suitable provision being made to elevate or depress the aeroplanes during their circular sweep so as to produce the sensation of flight on the passengers occupying the aeroplanes. This vertical elevation or depression may be effected by the manipulation of an adjustable platform on which the roundabout frame revolves and by which it is supported.

The advantages of the invent-ion and the principles it involves will be fully apparent from a detailed description thereof which is as follows Referring to the drawings, F is a suitable cement or equivalent foundation for the support of the central hollow staff 1, the said staff being surmounted by an ornamental cap-piece 2 if desired, and being suitably anchord to posts 3 by means of guy-ropes or cables at as well understood in the art. Resting on the foundation adjacent the staflt 1 is a hoisting drum 5 operated by an electric motor M deriving its current from any suitable source of-electric energy through the wires 10 leading from the line wires WV as well understood in the art, the parts alluded Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 8, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912 Serial No. 625,708.

to being herein shown conventionally, since the details of their construction may be left to the skilled mechanic, (Fig. 1).

Adapted to play up or down or reciprocate within the hollow staff is a conventional counterweight 6, the bottom of which has connected thereto the upper end of a cable 7 passing over a guide pulley 8 at the bottom of the staff, the cable being wound on and unwound from the drum 5 as obvious. The upper end of the counterweight 6 has secured thereto a series of cables 9 which pass over sheaves or guide pulleys 10 on top of the staff (Figs. 1, 5), the outer ends of the cables being fastened to eyes or lugs 11 formed at the upper end of a vertically re ciprocating sleeve 12, the base of which has cast or formed therewith, or otherwise secured thereto, an annular platform or ledge 13, said platform being designed for the support of the roundabout frame preferably composed of a series of arms R radiating from a. central hub let encompassing the sleeve 12, the latter serving as a collector for the electric current which operates the motors 15 by which are actuated the propellers 16 on the aeroplanes S and S suspended from the ends of the arms R. The aeroplanes S represent monoplanes, and S represent biplanes. By starting the propellers 16 of the several aeroplanes, the latter will fly or revolve about the axis of the stafl 1, rotating the roundabout frame about the axis of said stafi, said frame as stated, being supported by the elevating platform 13. This plat-form is provided with a. circular track 17 traversed by the wheels 18 mounted between brackets 19 on the roundabout frame (Fig. 3), the inner brackets of each pair likewise carrying pairs of trolleywheels 20 which traverse circularly disposed conducting rails 21, properly insulated from, and supported by, the platform 13. Leading from the trolley brackets 19 are conducting wires 20 which feed the current to the aeroplane motors 15. The current is supplied to the rails 21 from wires to leading from the trolley wheels 22 mounted on the reciprocating sleeve 12, which wheels as the sleeve is raised or lowered traverse the conducting or trolley wires 6 strung along the outer wall of the hollow staff 1, the wires 5 receiving their current from the bot-- tom extensions 6 leading from the rheostat 23 identified with the circuit 5 tapping the line 7 (Fig. 1). Nothing of course, is

claimed herein for the wiring as that is within the purview of the skilled electrician, and the paths of the circuits are here shown only in a conventional way, and suitably exposed so that they may be conveniently followed.

In its vertical reciprocations the sleeve 12 is guided by the webs of the tee-bars 2st disposed about the staff 1, said bars serving at the same time as stiffening members for the stafi'. The sleeve 12 is suitably grooved out so as to form a tongue-and-groove connection with the webs of said tee-bars (Fig. 4). The member let. forms a hub for the roundabout-frame B, being secured to the series of arms composing said frame by an angle ring 25 (Fig. 3), and being provided with an upper ring 26 from which lead a series of tie-rods 27 to the outer ends of the arms, the latter being furthermore braced and tied by ties 28 (Fig. 2), the whole forming a rigid revolving frame. The construction of such a frame however, may be left to the skilled mechanic.

The operation of the invention here described may be briefly described as follows :After the passengers are seated in the aeroplanes, the attendant or engineer turns on the electric current by properly manipulating the rheostat, said current starting the aeroplane motors 15, and these in turn starting the propellers. The aeroplanes will now be propelled, and in such propulsion will impart rotation to the frame 1etR, the latter traveling on the rail 17 (on the platform 13) over which run the wheels 18 of the frame. In'such circular sweep, the suspended aeroplanes will, under centrifugal action, swing outwardly (see dotted position Fig. 3). The attendant (or his assistant) now manipulates the controller C whereby he can start the motor M, the latter rotating the drum 5 so as to wind the cable 7 thereover. The draft on the cable 7 pulls on the counterweight 6, the lowering of which pulls on the cables 9 which in turn raise the sleeve 12 and its platform 13. The rotating roundabout or aeroplane supporting frame is thus bodily elevated while rotating on, and supported by the platform 13. This movement of the frame may be continued until the counterweight reaches its lowest position within the hollow staff, and it may be raised again at the will of the attendant or engineer. Thus by a proper control of the power, the aero plane frame while rotating under the action of the propellers 16, may be raised or lowered to any elevation above the ground, the resulting sensation being one of actual flight to the passengers occupying the aeroplanes, a sensation heightened by the aeroplane design of the cars occupied by them. In its vertical reciprocations, the sleeve 12 serves at the same time as an electric collector or rather distributer, since the trolleys 22 conduct the current to the wires to" which in turn supply it to the motors 15. The sleeve 12 too serves as a bearing for the member 14 which constitutes the hub of the revolving aeroplane frame R.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. An aeroplane roundabout comprising a hollow central staff, a vertically sliding electric collector loosely encompassing the staff and provided with a horizontal platform, a counterweight within the staff, pulleys on top of the staff, suitable electrical connections between the staff and collector, a circular track on the platform, a horizontally rotatable frame provided with wheels running on the track, aeroplanes at the outer portions of the rotatable frame, propellers on the aeroplanes, a source of electric energy, means for conducting the current to the electric connections between the staff and collector and to the propeller mo tors, a hoisting drum at the base of the staff, and cable connections between the drum and counterweight, and between the counterweight and the collector, respectively, for the purpose set forth.

2. An aeroplane roundabout comprising a hollow central staff, a vertically sliding electric collector loosely encompassing the staff and provided with a horizontal platform, a counterweight within the staff, pulleys on the top of the staff, cables passing over the pulleys and connecting the counterweight with the collector, a trolley-wire on the staff, a trolley-wheel on the collector engaging the wire, a circular track on the platform, a horizontally rotatable frame provided with wheels running on the track, aeroplanes suspended from the outer portions of the rotatable frame, propellers forv the aeroplanes, electric motors for driving the propellers, a source of electric energy, suitable conducting wires for leading the electric current through the trolley wires and trolley to the aeroplane motors, a hoisting drum at the base of the staff, and a cable connection between the drum and the bottom of the counterweight for the purpose of elevating or lowering said weight and correspondingly lowering or elevating the platform and the rotating frame carried thereby.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. WALSH.

\Vitnesses EMIL STAREK, FANNIE E. WEBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

